


Taking the Plunge

by DisgruntledMinion



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst and Humor, Bookstores, M/M, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-13
Updated: 2012-06-13
Packaged: 2017-11-07 15:36:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/432734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DisgruntledMinion/pseuds/DisgruntledMinion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There were many things Naruto never expected to see after waking up, Itachi emerging from a book was one of them; turns out that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Now he’s in a world of talking birds, hooded men and finding out more than he wished to know.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_'And in the end, they were happy because they had found each other.'_

"Bah!"

He tossed the book across the room where it collided with the wall and slid down to the floor with a loud thump. Cerulean eyes stared at the limp book and they contemplated throwing the paperback into the fireplace (which was unlit), but it wouldn't help ease the pain in his chest. Instead, the person stood up, picked the book up from the floor, and carefully placed it back on the bookshelf.

Destroying the book would destroy the only remainder he had of his previous life and he didn't want that.

Naruto sighed and glanced outside the window. It was a nice spring day and from his small study, he could hear the children playing in the streets. He scolded himself as he sat in front of the window to watch the children play Red Rover on the street. After nearly five months, he would have thought that he was over his ex leaving, but he was still upset.

For three years, he had dated a fiery blond named Temari, but seven months ago, she confessed that her feelings had changed and she only saw him as a friend. She said that she would feel bad leading him on and wanted to stop before something else bloomed between them. They were friends still and they saw each other occasionally, but it didn't take the pain away. Over the months it had eased away to a dull ache that he could push away from time to time, but today his eyes had fallen on the book again. With it, it had brought back unbidden memories and the loneliness in his heart.

Maybe it was time to return the book.

It was one of Temari's favorite books and he had bought it for her at a bookstore that was down the road from his house. The store was small with a side café that had seating outside for when the weather was nice. One of the nice things about the store was that it mixed used books with new ones, so people could buy books at a slightly cheaper price. The owner of the bookshop offered credit so customers could exchange books or sell them back.

It was called The Raven and it always reminded Naruto of Edgar Allen Poe's; ' _The Raven_.' It didn't help that the owner had a black bird, affectionately called Nevermore.

With a sigh, Naruto removed the book for the shelf and grabbed his keys. It wouldn't do to keep brooding on the past and returning the book might help him overcome the last hump that was preventing him from moving on. He shrugged his jacket on and locked the door behind him before he started his walk to the bookstore.

When he reached the store, it was empty with the exception of the lone raven bird sitting on its perch at the checkout desk. It let out a caw at his arrival and Naruto walked up to the front desk, smiling at the bird and glancing around the empty shop.

"Hey Nevermore, is Itachi here?"

The bird looked at him, cocked his head, and then jumped off his perch. Naruto moved back as the birds wingspan swept past his face and disappeared into the back storage room. It was strange at times to talk to the bird like a human, but Naruto swore that the bird knew what he was saying. But if that raven ever talked back to him, he'd probably die of shock.

He shifted against the counter's edge and glanced around the store. Not much had changed since he was last here a few weeks ago to see one of his friends who worked in the café. It was quiet and he wondered where everyone was, it was a nice day outside to just sit and sip some tea.

"Hello Naruto."

The blond jumped slightly and spun around, eyes focusing on the raven-haired man in front of him. Nevermore sat on his shoulder and his black feather almost blended in with the man's dark hair.

"Hi Itachi." He leaned forward a little, "I wasn't taking you away from anything was I?"

Itachi shook his head, "No, why do you ask?"

Naruto reached his hand out to grab a small leaf stuck in Itachi's hair, "You have a leaf in your hair and you look flustered; like you were hurried to get here."

The older male gently took the leaf from Naruto's hand and placed it in his pocket, "I assure you, you weren't interrupting anything. What can I do for you?"

"Ah, I want to return this book. I'm kind of tired of looking at it." Naruto admitted and slid the paperback across the counter.

Itachi picked up the book and looked over it before glancing up at the blond, "Didn't you buy this for…"

He nodded, "Yeah, I just feel like I should return it now. I'm not much into reading; all books end the same."

Itachi raised an eyebrow at the comment but took the book from the offered hand. He placed it on a cart and pulled up a window on the computer screen. "I'm guessing you don't want credit than."

"Actually, can I put it towards the café?" Naruto asked, "It's been nice out lately and summer will be here soon."

The Uchiha inclined his head, "Of course." He punched in some numbers on the computer and watched as words danced across the page before the printer spit out a receipt. He handed the paper to the blond and his dark eyes danced with amusement as the bird on his shoulder shifted. "We're not busy right now; would you like to join us for some tea from the café? Our treat."

A grin spread across Naruto's face, "Really?" At Itachi's nod, he bobbed his head enthusiastically, "Sure."

He bounded over to the small side café and watched as Itachi moved around the shop preparing the drinks. The bird left his shoulder and casually walked along the short countertop, a bag of tea clasped in its beak. It stopped in front of Naruto and eyed him, making the blond smile as he gently removed the bag from the birds' mouth.

"Someone's smart."

The raven preened its feathers, making it look like a black soot ball instead of a bird. A laugh escaped Naruto's mouth as he smoothed down the ruffled feathers and the bird nipped lightly at his wrist. Itachi set a cup next to the blond before picking up the bird and scolding it lightly.

"Be nice." He said as it took to the air and hovered near the door.

Itachi walked to the entrance and opened the door so Nevermore could fly outside. He gestured for Naruto to follow him and they settled down in the chairs outside.

"Aren't you worried he won't come back?" Naruto asked.

The Uchiha's eyes followed Nevermore's movements before turning their attention back to Naruto, "No. He'll come back; he's bound to me as well as this store."

Naruto blinked at the comment but didn't say anything on the subject. There were times when Itachi often spoke in riddles and he usually played them off as simple teasing and never thought much about it. But looking at Itachi, he could see the distant stare in Itachi's eyes, almost as if he was somewhere else and the present didn't matter. He looked peaceful and relaxed; something that he envied right now. He pushed the thought aside and sipped at his drink now that it had cooled down; there was much about Itachi that he didn't know, but at the same time, he had never really asked.

Something about the man's calm demeanor put him at ease and he wondered how Itachi could always stay so calm. It was as if he was living out some unknown dream or scene from a book and only he knew the books twist and turns. Perhaps he should ask him for some tips on how to relax more in life; if not he'd be gray by the time he was thirty.

That wasn't a comforting thought.

There was a cry from the sky before Nevermore dropped onto the table with a graceful hop, jerking Naruto away from his train of thought. The bird wondered over to Naruto's cup and dipped his head at the blond. Before Naruto could comprehend what the raven was doing, it had poked its beak into his drink.

"Hey!"

Nevermore made a crackling noise from deep within his throat and Naruto could have sworn that the bird was laughing at him. The black beak disappeared into the liquid again and blue eyes stared in amazement as the tea vanished down the tiny throat.

"My apologizes." Itachi said, humor lacing his voice, "He usually drinks from mine, he seems to be in a playful mood today."

Naruto glanced up at Itachi, whose eyes shown with amusement and he cocked his head when the Uchiha switched their two cups after placing the bird on his shoulder. He muttered something to the bird who puffed his feathers out in annoyance before settling on the new perch. Without any further thought, he brought the cup to his mouth and sipped at the warm drink, allowing the liquid to warm his stomach. It tasted a little different but he didn't dwell on the finer details; if anything, it tasted better than his had.

"I didn't know birds liked tea." He muttered.

Itachi shrugged, "Everyone is different; you learn to accept them for who they are, including all the weird quirks that accompany them."

The blond grinned at the comment, knowing that Itachi was right. For example, he liked to walk in the rain, even if it meant he would become sick the next day. He wasn't sure why he liked it, but it always seemed to calm his mind and put his body at ease.

A loud chiming noise echoed through the small town square and Naruto's head turned in the direction of the noise. Beyond the tree line was the tall clock tower that marked the center of the town, and its face was just visible through the trees. He frowned at the clock and sipped at the drink some more. It was getting late and he needed to get ready for his job tomorrow. His eyes flickered back to Itachi and a slight flush crept up on his cheeks when he realized Itachi was staring at him.

"Do you need to go back home?" He asked.

Naruto nodded, "Yeah. We're taking the students to the planetarium tomorrow since its Friday."

They sat in comfortable silence before Itachi stood up and picked up the cups from the table, "Then I guess I'll let you go."

The blond stood up as well, "I'm sorry I have to rush off like this Itachi. I had a nice time this afternoon though."

A small smile slipped across Itachi's face, "I'm glad. Feel free to come back anytime." He looked at the bird on his shoulder, "We had a good time too."

Naruto grinned and said his goodbyes before heading back to his house. Overhead, the clouds drifted lazily and the sun began its descent to the horizon, throwing shadows on the trees. The wind gusted through the trees and Naruto paused outside his door.

It was going to rain tomorrow afternoon.

\-------

That next afternoon, Naruto stumbled into his house and threw his keys on the tabletop. It had been a pleasant day at the planetarium and he had enjoyed spending the morning with his students. They were always so anxious to learn and seeing their excited faces as they explored the museum had put him a good mood.

Until a fellow teacher approached him with devastating news.

Temari had been killed in car accident while going to work.

Even if they had broken up several months ago, the news was still unwelcoming and it tugged at his heart. They had been good friends before they started dating and they were still friends after it. Death wasn't something he wished on any one; ex or not. Outside, he could hear the faintest rumbles of thunder and he slid down against the wall. She was gone and nothing could bring her back; he would never see her laugh with their group of friends and the outings with his friends would be strangely quiet.

The first sounds of the rain hitting his window jolted him out of his trance and his eyes glanced up the paned glass. He watched as the bead of water traveled down the glass before joining another drop and then continued down towards the sill.

He wasn't sure how long he sat on the carpet watching the droplets, but he did remember grabbing his keys and letting the door shut behind him.

\------

The raindrops were cold as they pelted his skin and traveled down his face. He liked to think of them as tears as they moved down his features and dropped off his chin. He couldn't remember the last time he cried and Temari's death was no different. He was saddened at the news and he had felt the familiar pricks behind his eyes, but still nothing feel from them.

Tears were a sign of weakness.

At least that's what his father used to tell him when he was younger.

Yet, bottling up emotions was never good for a person; they always threatened to rupture at the worst time.

His feet led him to the white bridge that gleamed in the rain. It was an old bridge, one that was covered in marble stone and arched beautifully over the clear river water below. Looking over the river now, it was swollen and the waters swirled with mud, making the water turn an ugly brown color.

Naruto's fingers traced over the smooth surface of the bridges' rail and the cold texture sent chills up his spine. The water beaded off the rock quickly, and the small flashes of lightning made the bridge shine under the light. But for all the water that was on the railing, it wasn't slick and he placed his palms on the surface.

The thought was unexpected.

His shoes made a squishing noise as he placed his feet on the edge before standing up slowly. He quickly found his balance and took a step forward. A grin crossed his face at the sound his shoes made and he took another step. His extended arms allowed him to keep balance as he carefully walked on the railing. A pink tongue poked out in concentration as he focused on placing one foot in front of the other and laughter threatened to escape his throat.

It was a feeling of euphoria and he almost felt like he was floating as he crossed the highest point of the bridge. He didn't look down in fear of losing his balance, but simply paused for a second, before continuing.

"Naruto?"

His head whipped around as he heard his name being called and his eyes locked with black ones. But the sudden movement had cost him his precious balance and his arms flailed widely as he tried to regain balance again. The damage was done though as his foot slipped off the edge and he felt his body dropping down. The world spun into an array of colorful blurs before his body was incased by the rushing water. The last thing his mind saw were black eyes that were filled with something unrecognizable.

_'Itachi.'_

\-------

His head was throbbing when he finally woke up to a darkened room. The briefest thoughts that he had died crossed his mind, but a slight pressure to his right told him other wise. He turned his head carefully and his eyes strained to decipher the figure next to him. Whoever it was, they had fallen asleep on the edge of the bed; and consequently, on his arm.

A soft caw made him glance up to the headboard and he watched as the raven glided down to land on his stomach. It walked across his chest and poked him in the forehead, and Naruto had the feeling that the bird was upset with him.

"Sorry Nevermore, I didn't mean to slip."

He turned to look at Itachi who was still asleep with his head supported on his arms and he grimaced. The Uchiha's hair was wet and he was wearing different clothes from the time he saw him on the bridge. Itachi must have jumped in the river to pull him out.

Naruto didn't want to wake the sleeping Uchiha and tried his best to hold his sneeze in, but the fates decided that they didn't like him today. His body jerked at the action and Itachi's calm voice filtered through the room, "That is why you don't play in the rain."

Itachi's head rose from the bedspread and he popped his neck. His arm reached out to click the lamp on before leveling a glare at Naruto. "Should I even ask what you were doing?"

Azure eyes cast themselves away from Itachi's harsh glare and instead found the painting of a bamboo plant rather interesting. Maybe that's what he needed in his house; a plant. One that he could easily take care, and those bamboo ones were always neat. The way they curled around in tight spirals and they were very easy to take care of. Yes, he needed a plant.

Warm hands gripped his chin and turned his face away from the picture. He was forced to look into the angry black eyes of Itachi and his own widened when he saw something else swimming behind the anger; concern.

"Temari was killed today." He answered, "And you know how much I like to walk in the rain."

The grip tightened, "And the suicidal walk on the bridge?"

He shook his head, "No, I wasn't planning anything like that. It was something I always wanted to do and it just seemed like a good idea at the time. You startled me, that's all."

"Yes, because walking over a flooded stream in the rain seems like a good idea." Itachi answered sarcastically.

"I wasn't going to try anything." Naruto cried, "I mean it Itachi, I'm not going to. People do weird things, remember."

Something flickered in Itachi's eyes that Naruto couldn't recognize but he sighed when he felt Itachi's grip loosen. However, with the loosening of Itachi's grip, it allowed the reality of the world to settle in and his shoulders slumped.

"She's gone Itachi."

Itachi was silent and his head was ducked slightly, as if he was trying to keep from looking at the blond. Silence stretched between the two as they pondered their thoughts and after a while, Itachi spoke again. "What do you want me to do, Naruto?"

Naruto blinked at the question and he shook his head, "Nothing. It's not like you can bring her back or anything." It was softly spoken, but his voice threatened to crack, even if the tears were absent on his face. "I just want to forget, it'll be easier that way."

"Things like this can't go away in a day's time, they take time to heal and you need to surround yourself with friends." Itachi said gently. "People always try to forget and maybe for a day they will, but it'll come back to them the next morning."

"How? How do they make it go away?" Naruto asked and he tried to swallow the lump in his throat, "Please tell me how Itachi, it hurts so badly."

Itachi turned to face Naruto and he forced the blond to look at him, "You want me to make you forget?"

"Please." He begged.

Itachi's face looked pained before he grabbed Naruto's shaking hands and gently brought them to his lips, kissing his knuckles. His eyes flickered up to gauge Naruto's reaction and after finding none, he leaned forward to place a kiss on his lips while he threaded his fingers through the damp locks.

It wasn't what he wanted, but as his hands dipped under the thin shirt and explored the warm flesh, he knew it was something that the blond needed. Underneath him, Naruto panted his name and he could see the raw emotions swimming in the clouded blue eyes. The pain had all but vanished and in its place, lust now swam. He dipped his head as he sucked on the tan neck and he could feel Naruto's fingers winding through his hair as he tried to press their bodies closer.

It wasn't the way he planned it as their clothes were discarded and piled onto the floor in a small heap. His breath fanned over the tanned chest as he carefully pushed a finger past the ring of muscles, watching Naruto's face carefully. The blue eyes were hidden under closed eyelids and they fluttered open as he pushed in another finger. He felt Naruto tense at the intrusion and he pressed his lips against Naruto's in a way to distract the blond from the pain.

It wasn't his desire to see Naruto's face twisted in pain as he searched for the small spot. He flinched when the blond cried out in pleasure as his fingers brushed against his prostate and he rubbed against the spot again. Naruto panted in his ear and he was whimpering slightly as he removed his fingers. He placed one last kiss on the bruised lips and looked down at the younger male, taking in the sight before gently easing in.

It wasn't what he expected as he pushed past the stretched muscles, while muttering softly in Naruto's ear. He didn't move once he was in and it was only when Naruto pressed his hips down, drawing a moan from both of them, that he moved again. Slowly at first until they settled into a rhythm and their sweat-slicked bodies moved against each other in a sensual dance. He threaded his fingers through Naruto's clenched ones, making the blond open his eyes again.

It wasn't the blonds' touch that made him jump when Naruto wound his hand around his neck, it was the way he sighed into the kiss. It was the way he accepted it and leaned into it more. He jerked away from the motion and was glad that Naruto was too far gone to notice his reactions. His hand drifted down to the blonds' neglected member and started to stroke it in order to bring them both to completion and he bit his lip as the younger male screamed his name. He followed him quickly, but only choked out Naruto's name as he dropped his head into the crook of the blonds' neck.

It wasn't the way he had seen it, and he knew that he would never get that chance again. Because if the blond knew; if Naruto knew, he would never want to see him again.

It wasn't anything like the way he thought it would be; it was much more and the feeling left him feeling empty.

\------

When he woke up again, he was oddly disoriented. It took a few moments in order for him to realize that he wasn't at home, but instead, in someone else's room. He blearily blinked his eyes as he tried to focus on something before panic over took his mind. His gaze finally settled on a bamboo painting and he frowned in thought.

He remembered seeing one like that in Itachi's room and he remembered being with Itachi last night…

Naruto's body shot up in bed and he cried out at the pain that followed.

The previous day quickly rushed back to him; Friday, Temari's death, the bridge, and Itachi. Last night, they had; oh god. His head shook back and forth, it wasn't bad, he had always known that he preferred males to females; Temari had been one of the few exceptions. They had never done anything in the three years that they dated, but last night had been amazing and he swore he would never go back.

He heard a loud cawing and he turned to see Nevermore circling a discarded book on the floor. The bird was crying repeatedly as it continued to circle the open book and Naruto tried to calm him down. The blond was sure that the raven was going to give himself a heart attack if he didn't calm down, but his attempts to relax the bird did nothing. If anything, they made the animal more frantic and Naruto was left watching the bird circle.

It wasn't until a pale hand emerged from the book that the bird finally quieted.

Naruto felt his jaw fall slack as another hand appeared and his eyes widened. This was a dream; it had to be. If not, that book was going to come alive and eat him, he was sure of it.

Nevermore landed on his shoulder, but he didn't acknowledge the birds presence as something black started to rise from the book. Naruto grabbed a pillow and clutched it to his chest, hoping it would provide some sort of protection from whatever was coming out of the book. His breathing had quickened as the figure in the book grunted softly before the black shifted, revealing pale skin.

Pale skin, dark eyes, gently sloping lines starting from under the eyes, and black hair.

Itachi.

He let out a yell as the black eyes locked with his and he toppled off the bed. The blond groaned when he hit the bed and he knew now that he was defiantly awake; you can't get hurt in dreams.

From the space under the bed, he watched as Itachi pulled the rest of his body from the book and bare feet settled at the edge of the bed. He heard his name being called and he poked his head over the edge of the mattress. "Hi Itachi."

Itachi's face showed no emotion other than a haunting look and his eyes were glazed over as he looked down at Naruto. He didn't say anything at first and Nevermore floated over to his shoulder, landing softly and blending into the dark hair. He muttered softly to the bird before turning his attention back to the blond.

"You didn't see anything."

"Don't try that Jedi crap with me; what's going on?" Naruto snapped, "Books don't just pop out people."

Itachi's frown deepened, "Nothing happened Naruto, you're just imagining things."

"No, no, no; I just saw you come out of that book."

"No you didn't, you're sleep deprived." Itachi stated.

"Itachi, you, you; book and out…" Naruto tried to gesture with his hands, as if it would make the situation seem better, but nothing was working. His mouth was moving but no words were coming out and his mind refused to form a single sentence.

"Perhaps you were dreaming."

"But last night we…and I'm still at your house. Not, not that I have dreams like that!" Naruto almost shouted, his face turning a brilliant shade of red.

"Then maybe you're still dreaming now."

Naruto's gaze settled on the blanket as his fingers traced the soft material, "I hope I'm not." He said quietly.

"Naruto…" Itachi moved closer to the bed, "I'm sorry, but it'll be better this way."

Itachi's lips descended onto Naruto's, and the blond wrapped his arms around the pale shoulders. He gasped out Itachi's name as long fingers threaded themselves through blond locks and Naruto found his eyelids sliding shut.

"Itachi, please; don't."

And darkness surrounded him.

\-------

When he woke, he was back in his room and it was raining outside. His head pounded as he struggled to sit up in the bed. He felt as if someone had dropped a piano on his body; not that he knew what that felt like, but he could guess. His thoughts were in turmoil though and he couldn't figure out if last night had been a dream or real life. He blushed as the memories of the previous night surfaced and dream or not, something had happened.

A hiss escaped his mouth as a sharp pain shot up his spine when he sat up and his eyes widened.

It couldn't have been a dream.

He shivered as he remembered Itachi emerging from the book, almost like a demon from the ground. His eyes had been blank and gazed over, as if he had committed some awful crime and only he knew the truth behind it.

But it wasn't possible; people couldn't just appear out of books. And if it were true, did that mean that Itachi was just a character from a book?

He shook his head; Itachi couldn't be a character because things like that didn't happen. It was impossible for people to just jump into books and delve into their inner secrets.

And yet, it almost made sense. The calm, nonchalant air about Itachi, the owning of the bookstore, and his almost infinite knowledge that one would only get from reading numerous books. As crazy as it seemed, it almost sounded logical.

But despite all that logic, there was still something missing and it gnawed at him as he climbed out of bed. He stepped into the shower and as the hot water rushed over his body, he tried to remember everything that happened last night; dream or not.

He blushed at the first memory before brushing it aside as he rubbed his shampoo into a thick lather. He remembered seeing Itachi appear out of the book and they had argued briefly over something. His eyes clenched shut as the shampoo ran down his face and he tried to remember what happened after that.

There was pressure on his lips and he knew Itachi had whispered something. His heart thumped painfully as he rinsed his hair out and he willed his mind to remember the words that were whispered to him. The only thing he remembered was begging Itachi not to do something, but it was that something that was missing from his memories.

_'I'm sorry, but it'll be better this way.'_

Naruto's head jerked as the words finally came rushing back to him and he quickly stumbled out of the shower. He ignored the pain in his body and rushed to get dress, nearly tripping over the bottom of his jeans as he ran through the hallway.

Dream or not, he couldn't stand it if Itachi left, and he needed to reassure himself that Itachi was still there. That nothing had changed from last night.

It was raining outside as he ran from his house and his feet splashed in the puddles but he didn't give either a fleeting thought. Despite the warm April days in the earlier week, the rain had brought colder weather with it and his breath danced in front of him as he ran. He pushed past the few people on the street and they gave him weird looks from under their umbrellas, but he ignored them; grabbing an umbrella had seemed like an insignificant idea at the time.

The bookstore came into view and despite seeing the lights on inside the building, it didn't satisfy his fear. He flung the door open and stood in the doorway, gasping for breath and dripping water onto the tile floor. The store was empty due to the weather, but neither Itachi nor Nevermore were in the store.

"Itachi?" He called out hesitantly and moved further into the building.

It was deathly silent except for the annoying sound of a clock ticking away the seconds. No sound came from the café and the soft hum of the computer was missing. He shivered as the cold air settled on his body and he walked up to the counter. It was empty behind the desk and he tried to see around the counter.

His eyes caught sight of a door that he guessed led to the back room and he chewed on his lip. He didn't want to sneak around Itachi's store, but he wanted to make sure Itachi was still here and wasn't going to go anywhere. That was a logical excuse.

But that didn't stop his heart from racing as he slid over the countertop. He knocked on the door and waited for a response before pushing the door open. A blast of cold air greeted him along with the smell of dirt and old leather. It wrapped around his senses as he walked through the dimly lit hallway and stumbled on a small step.

His hands brushed against cool stone and as his eyes adjusted more, he realized that he was standing in front of a stairwell. He swallowed and cautiously made his way down the steps, feeling for each one as the passage way became darker. As he neared what he assumed was the end of the stairwell, a faint light shone around a corner. He hesitantly called Itachi's name but received no answer. A sigh escaped his lips and he continued down until the ground leveled out.

Another door met him and from the handle, a large paddock lock swung. It was unlocked and the door was slightly ajar, as if Itachi had been in a hurry to leave the room. He felt his heart race against his chest as he pushed the door open and warmer air enveloped his body. His eyes widened as he took in the large underground room that was filled with books. Their gold lettering on the spines danced in the soft light and he walked closer to the shelves.

His fingers ran over the titles, or rather, the authors' name. None of the books had a title on their spines, only the authors name was visible along with a picture of said author and he wondered how old the books were. Most had dust on them and the shelves themselves were covered in a thick layer of dust.

He continued around the room and he stopped when he reached a desk in the middle of the room. There were a few books stacked here, and one of them was open; blank pages stared back at him. He tore his eyes away from the blank book, he felt as if he was intruding on something and he knew he needed to leave. But it was the topmost book on the stack that caught his attention.

With trembling hands, he reached out and picked up the book; noting that it wasn't covered in dust like the others. Instead, it seemed to be well taken care of, almost as if someone was making sure it wasn't damaged in anyway. His fingers traced over the golden title on the front cover and the feel of the material under his fingers almost made him drop the book.

In gold lettering, the title stared at him.

_'Uzumaki Naruto.'_


	2. Chapter 2

It seemed like some sick joke as his eyes stared down at the title of the book and he realized that he was looking into his own face. His name wasn't that popular and he still could have brushed it off as mere coincidence, but the picture on the cover made him think otherwise.

He carefully opened the book and his eyes skimmed over the first sentence. The urge to throw the book across the room was strong but he found he could only let it slip through his fingers. His heart pounded painfully in his chest and his breath came in short gasps.

His entire childhood had been written down in that book.

Naruto placed his hands on the table to give himself a sort of balance and his eyes skimmed the title of the next book.

_'Uchiha Itachi'_

Fingers stretched out to reach for the book. If Itachi knew everything from his past, then he had a right to know Itachi's. His fingers had barely brushed the book's cover when a cold hand tightened around his wrist. Naruto's body tensed and he wheeled around, only to come face to face with Itachi.

"What are you doing?"

The voice was cold and hard as steel, and his eyes bore into him. Naruto tried to speak but he found that forming words was becoming difficult. He had never seen Itachi's eyes so harsh and he knew that he was the cause of Itachi's anger, but he had his own reasons to be angry as well.

"I should ask you the same question." He snapped, "Why the hell do you have a book in here with my name on it? And why is it filled with my past; are you a stalker, 'cause I swear I'll call the police."

Itachi chuckled, "And tell them what, that you broke in and trespassed?"

"I didn't break in, the door was unlocked and I thought that you were…I thought you left me." He paused, "I, last night; it wasn't a dream."

Itachi released his wrist and let his arm fall to the side, "No, it wasn't, but you weren't supposed to see that. You were supposed to forget and think it was a dream."

Naruto frowned, "Why? Was I a bad fuck or something?"

"You wouldn't understand."

He growled and grabbed Itachi's arm, "Then make me understand."

Itachi ran a hand over his face before peeling Naruto's hand from his arm. "If I do, you have to promise me that you'll listen to the entire story before you say anything or even think about leaving. I tried to keep you from becoming involved but it's too late for that now. No doubt the council has been alerted by now and you'll have to make a choice."

Naruto raised an eyebrow at the statement but didn't question it. "Fine."

The Uchiha gestured to a chair while he leaned against the wooden desk. Once Naruto was curled up on the plush chair, Itachi sighed and crossed his arms, "To start with, I haven't read the past chapters in your book. I don't know anything about your childhood, nor do I know anything about your future. Whereas most books are locked, I occasionally receive some that are unlocked and are still blank in the back, meaning their life has a dividing point."

"Dividing point?"

"As in their life can go either way and they can't make up their mind. It's my job to chose what I feel is the better choice for them."

Naruto scowled, "It sounds like you get to play god."

"Against my better judgment, yes." Itachi answered, "I rarely come across these books though. Most arrive already filled out and locked; I simply store them and when the books comes to an end, I pass it off. A reaper from the council will appear to retrieve the book, unlock it and determine their next fate."

"So, these books are people's lives." Naruto stated, "I always thought they were hourglasses or something."

A smirk appeared on Itachi's face, "Some people have hourglass others have books. If you burn my book, I'll cease to exist and die. Tear out a page and I'll lose a memory from years past."

"If I don't?"

"Then I stay here, watching after the books that are assigned to me, while I watch as history passes by me and I move from place to place"

Naruto was silent as he looked around the large room before his gaze settled back on Itachi, "You're immortal."

Itachi's head dipped slightly, "I am."

"Fine, I'll accept that for now."

"I told you that I received some books that were blank and unlocked; yours was one of them. When I looked at yours, there were two choice's presented to me and I had to make a choice." Itachi's eyes darted away from Naruto's and settled on the black book. He had never wanted Naruto to know about the other choice he had in his life and that he had been responsible for his suffering. "At the time I received the book, I hadn't met you yet; I try not to find the people I watch over."

"Five years ago, I moved to this town and I ran into you. Imagine my surprise and fear at meeting someone whose fate was in my hands. I tried to keep from getting close to you, but in this small town it's a little hard and I can only move every ten years or so. Either way, the day of your crossroads was quickly approaching and I had a choice to make, but yours was slightly problematic."

Naruto cocked his head, "Why?"

"Because in order to choose the best option for your future, I had to do another thing first. I had to fix another book in order to secure your future; but it caused you great pain. I apologize for it now, but it seemed best at the time."

"Itachi, what did you do?"

Black eyes lifted slowly from the thick rug and held Naruto's gaze, "I made Temari break up with you."

Naruto jumped out of the chair, "What? You did what?"

"I had no other choice." Itachi cried

"You, you fucking used me. Did you just wait for this time and know that I would come crawling to you eventually? I trusted you!" He paused to suck in a deep breath and his eyes widened in realization, "That was why you were on the bridge; you knew I was going to be there after her death. Bastard, did you set this whole thing up?"

"Naruto, you need,"

"You probably killed her too. Or did you just not bother to save her, knowing how last night would turn out. I bet you just sit at your desk and write out our lives in order to entertain yourself during your eternal life. Did you have fun fucking with my life Itachi?"

His back collided with the chair and his breath escaped him in a quick gasp. He looked up to see Itachi's dark eyes glaring into his but he held his ground.

"I didn't know last night would turn out that way." He growled.

"Then why did you make her break up with me, why didn't you just let me stay with her?" Naruto snapped.

"Because you were supposed to be in that accident with her. You were supposed to die yesterday."

Naruto's body stilled at Itachi's outburst and he felt Itachi's fingers relax their grip on his arms. He blinked and his eyes searched the Uchiha's face, "What?"

"You were supposed to be in the car with Temari. She was going to a party at her work and would have brought you if you were still together." Itachi cupped his face gently, "I can't change someone's future once it has been set, and my meddling did nothing to stop her death. It was either her, or both of you. I'm sorry Naruto; I didn't want you to know all this so soon."

"So soon?" He echoed.

Itachi sighed, "I had planned on telling you, but not for a while. Even now, your book is still unwritten and your author seems to be at a writers block."

Blue eyes blinked at him and Itachi could see the confusion etched into them. He shifted uncomfortably and dropped his hands from Naruto's cheeks, there were other things that needed to be taken care of but he needed to let the blond know what the future held for them. By coming down here, he had unintentionally intertwined his future with Itachi's and there were very few options left for him now.

"Being immortal, we only get one chance to tell someone about our other life. Most of us spend centuries looking for that one person and the decision needs to be made before the mortal grows too old." He dropped down in front of the blond, "Naruto, I have always been attracted to you and I had planned on taking my time with you. I didn't want to push you after Temari's death and I wanted to wait until you had healed more, but I'm afraid I don't have that luxury anymore."

"What are talking about?"

"The council will be here to talk to you soon; a day or two if we're lucky. This means, I only have now to ask this of you, any other time will be too late. Naruto, I offer you the choice to stay with me for the rest of eternity. You'll be immortal like me and you can travel around the world a hundred times over, but you'll never have to burden yourself with my job. The only complication is that you'll have to remain with me, forever."

Naruto was silent for a moment before speaking, "But that means that I would have to watch everyone die around me; I can never find someone to love."

He missed the pain that appeared in Itachi's eyes briefly, before it was masked once again and Itachi spoke, "The choice is yours alone to make; I can't make it for you and you have to want it."

"I…can I have the day to think about it?" Naruto asked, "I'm sorry Itachi, but it's a lot to take in at once."

Itachi nodded, "Of course, and if you have any questions, I'll be here still."

Naruto stood up from the chair and stiffly walked to the thick wooden door. He paused as his hand grasped the door handle and he looked over his shoulder, "Is it worth it? Giving up your mortality and doing nothing as the world passes you by?"

A small smile flickered across Itachi's face, "Come back tonight at eleven and I'll show what we do to help pass the time. And yes, it is worth it, once you find the person to spend immortality with."

A blush spread across Naruto's face and he vanished behind the door, leaving Itachi alone in the warm room.

\------------

The rain had slowed down outside as he made his way down the road, not even noticing the water that was slowly seeping through his clothing.

One day.

It was too much to comprehend in one sitting, let alone one day. Sure, he had known Itachi for at least five years and perhaps he had glanced at the other man occasionally, but it wasn't enough to just abandon his life for the other male. The thought of immortality scared him for several reasons, the first being it wasn't supposed to exist. He had always thought that it was something in books, something that people wished for. The other being that he would have to sit and watch everyone grow old around him, watch them marry, have children, and die. All while he stayed the same. And Itachi said he moved a lot. If he only stayed in one place for ten years, he'd always be leaving behind new friends.

But he could have the chance to make more new ones. If he agreed to this offer, the only constant his future would hold would be Itachi. Not that it was a bad thing, he enjoyed Itachi's person and everything the man had to offer, but was it enough?

Itachi.

He shuddered lightly. Despite the absurdity of it all, Naruto hadn't been able to detect any lie in Itachi's voice. A curse escaped his lips and he kicked at a loose stone; why did all of this have to happen? Knowing that Itachi wanted him to be happy above everything else was a warm thought and it made him blush at the idea, but one day wasn't enough. Although he wasn't sure why he was even thinking about all this; he should just turn Itachi down.

Nothing the man could show him tonight would change his mind. He felt betrayed, as if the pain from yesterday would have been non-existent if Itachi had just stopped him from dating Temari in the first place. If he knew she was going to die, why didn't he ask him out first, or better yet, why didn't he tell him not to ask Temari out? It would have saved them both a lot of pain in the long run and then this wouldn't have happened.

If the raw pain from Temari's death wasn't there, he would have given Itachi a chance, different circumstances aside. But he felt that it was still too soon and knowing that he was supposed to have died with her, only made it worse.

Still, the blond could only imagine the pain that Itachi was going through. He racked his brain for memories from the previous night and remembered how he begged Itachi to make him forget. Guilt stabbed at him. Itachi had probably been hurting during that time as well and he probably made it worse by further taunting him. Itachi had known what had happened and he couldn't have done a thing about it. He flinched at the thought.

How many times had Itachi suffered with the knowledge that he held peoples life in his hands? Knowing certain paths that people would take and the pain that it could cause them; all the while, handling it alone.

Naruto's eyes glanced down at the river and he realized that he was back at the marble bridge. Below him the waters churned angrily and he rested his arms and chin on the railing.

It wasn't right to be angry with Itachi. He was suffering just as much as he was, if not more. No doubt his angry outburst back at the store hadn't made things any better for him either. Yet through it all, Itachi was still willing to forgive him and share with him the hidden part of his life. He knew that no one else had gotten the chance and if he agreed to it, no one else ever would.

The thought made him tingle slightly and he slowly closed his eyes while releasing a small sigh. He would give Itachi a chance; he just wished he had more time.

\-----------

When eleven o' clock rolled around, Naruto found himself standing in front of The Raven. He was no closer to a decision than he had been when he left and he was running out of time. The door was unlocked and all the lights were dimmed when he walked into the store, but Itachi was nowhere to be found.

"Itachi?" He called out, and his voice echoed throughout the building.

_"Nevermore."_

Naruto spun around and huffed at the raven that sat on a small perch. The bird cocked his head at Naruto and jumped from his peg. Naruto grinned a little, "You scared me there for a second. I almost thought you had said something. Where's Itachi? He told me to meet him here."

The bird fluffed its feathers and opened its beak, _"Nevermore."_

"Holy shit!" Naruto jumped away from the bird. "Did you just talk?"

A tiny head turned to the side and let out another shrill cry, _"Nevermore."_

"Nevermore, be silent."

Naruto's head turned in the direction of the second voice and he breathed a sigh of relief as Itachi glided into the room. He pointed at the bird, "Your bird just talked, and he's not a parrot."

An amused smirk crossed Itachi's face, "No, he is a raven. In fact he is _the_ raven, Nevermore; from Poe's poem."

"I'm sorry; you want to run that by me one more time?"

Itachi's hand circled around Naruto's wrist, "How about I show you."

Naruto's eyebrows furrowed, "I have a question for you first. If you knew that Temari was going to be killed, why didn't you stop me from dating her?"

Itachi turned around and Naruto could see the deep pain etched in his eyes, "Believe me, I lost plenty of sleep over it, but in the end it wasn't my choice to make. It was already written that you would ask her, I couldn't have stopped you. I can't interfere with what has been written, nor can I write alternatives. I'm sorry."

He was silent and after a moment, Itachi spoke again.

"I know you said you don't like to read, but of the books that you have read, which was your favorite?"

"It's not that I don't like to read, it's just that all books end the same. But I like action books, ones that have a good fight scene."

"Fiction I presume." Itachi stated and Naruto nodded, "Very well, I think I know what will work."

He led them to the fiction section and selected a thick, white paperback, where the words, 'The Way of Shadows' gleamed in the soft light. Itachi set the book in Naruto's hands and watched as the blond skimmed the back of the book.

"Its long."

Itachi nodded as he walked to the door that led to the basement and Naruto followed him. The small room was empty, with all the books stored on the shelves and the only thing on the desk was a small candle. Itachi turned to look at the blond and Naruto could see mischief dancing in them.

"If students knew about this, they would never read their school books anymore." He set the book on the table and a smile crossed his face, "I'll make sure we drop in on a fight scene; you'll like them in here."

"You lost me again."

Itachi reached out and pulled the blond closer, "I know it's a lot to ask now, but I want you to trust me."

Blue eyes analyzed him and after a moments hesitation he spoke, "This will help me understand?" Itachi nodded, "Fine, I'll trust you, but if I have questions, I want answers."

"Understandable."

Naruto yelped as Itachi wound his arm around his waist and further pulled him closer to his body. He didn't move though and watched as Itachi placed the tips of his fingers on the cover of the book and pressed down on the surface. He was about to question what was going to happen, but he felt a slight tug on his body and the room started to spin into a blur of colors before black overtook his senses.

\-----------

Smoke tickled his nose and he realized that it was hard to breath due to a tight pressure around his waist. He opened his eyes and nearly yelled when he realized he was in a tree, looking down on a smoke filled battle. His eyes widened as below him, armor clad soldiers rushed through the forest and the sounds of swords clashing and horses nickering were loud in his ears. One of the archers let loose a hailstorm of arrows and he jumped when one was deflected and flew by his face.

This was suicide; he needed to get out of this tree. No, he needed to wake up, that's what he needed to do.

He tried to move, but found that he was immobilized and he squirmed in an attempt to free himself.

"If you keep struggling, you're going to fall out of the tree." A low voice said in his ear.

Naruto quickly turned his head and his mouth fell slack as he realized Itachi was sitting behind him, still holding him in place with a tight arm. He was dressed in a rough, gray material that seemed to fit on his body and from his back, Naruto could faintly see the silhouette of a katana handle.

"What are you wearing?"

Itachi brushed the hood off his head and he smirked, "You're one to talk."

Naruto glanced down and realized that the same material covered his body and at his right hip were several small weapons. When he shifted his body, he could faintly hear the jingling of metal, indicating that he had several more weapons on his person.

"Itachi, what's going on?"

"We're inside the book." Itachi answered.

"No really." Naruto stated, "That, that's not possible."

"You believed my immortality speech, but you don't think that this is possible? Humans have become blind over the millennium and very lax when thinking about the impossible. It has dulled their beliefs on what can exist. I assure you, this is very much so real."

Naruto grunted, "So unicorns and fairies, those all exist too?"

"Maybe not in this world, but that's another story." Itachi's chin settled on Naruto's shoulder as he glanced down on the scene below them, "Would you like to join the fight?"

"Join?"

"We're not merely watchers in all this. Right now, we are unknown and just watching, but at a single command, I can make us visible to everyone in this book, and we can fight along side them."

"And die." Naruto said as he watched someone drive a sword through a tall male. "I don't think so."

Itachi smirked, "The rules are different for us. We may fight and interact with everyone but we cannot die. You can be injured in the book and even killed in the book, but death in here, only makes you reappear in the room again. You'll reappear uninjured and nothing will change on you."

"How about we go to a story I know." He winced as another soldier dropped to the ground, "One that's not so, uh, violent."

Itachi's head dipped, "If you wish."

There was another sharp jerk on his body and the fight below him disappeared into a haze of colors.

\--------

When his feet landed on the carpeted surface, he stumbled forward. His body would have hit the floor but Itachi was quick to grab him and pull him back against his chest. He had to close his eyes to stop the room from spinning and he felt Itachi's hand gliding up his throat to tip his head backward.

"Take in a deep breath and let it out slowly."

Naruto did as instructed and after the second breath, he felt the vertigo vanish and he slumped against Itachi's body, "That's rough traveling."

Itachi's chuckle vibrated through his chest, sending chills up Naruto's spin and he broke free of the grasp. He turned to look at Itachi and ran a hand through his hair, "So let me get this straight, you can jump into books and either watch or interact with them."

"Correct. Often times you can talk with the character outside of the story line and further delve into their personality." Itachi answered, "When you woke up yesterday, you saw me leaving the story. We don't forget what happened in the book, and sometimes things can stay with; mentally and physically, like the leaf from the previous day and Nevermore."

"Did he follow you out or something?" Naruto asked.

A smirk appeared on Itachi's face, "No. I smuggled him out. It gets lonely sometimes and he's good company."

Naruto winced. The companionship of a lone raven bird was hardly good company. Even jumping into the numerous books that he owned to talk with characters wasn't the same as human companionship. The thought made him want to tell Itachi that everything would turn out alright, but he didn't know that. Instead he opted to stay silent and wait for the Uchiha to speak again.

"So which would you like to try next? 'Harry Potter' or perhaps 'Eragon', those seem to be ones you would read."

Naruto shook his head, "No, I never read them; too long." He looked down at the floor and a small flush crept up on his face, "Can you, um, go into manga's?"

A soft sigh escaped Itachi's mouth but the small smile on his face gave away his amusement, "Yes. Which one?"

"Death Note."

"Very well; it's been a while since I last talked to L."

"You've been in Death Note before?" Naruto asked, "You don't seem like a manga reader."

Itachi shrugged, "I find his intellect enjoyable at times."

He sent Naruto upstairs to retrieve the book and settled into a chair while he waited. Nevermore glided over to him and rested gently on his knee, a small piece of paper in his beak. His heart sank when he realized it was from the council and he carefully took the paper from the birds' beak. His eyes skimmed the paper and a frown crossed his face.

The council was coming in the morning and they were only going to give Naruto two choices. And neither of them promised a happy ending.

He stuffed the paper in his pocket as he heard Naruto approaching the basement room and pushed the thoughts aside for the moment. If he wasn't careful, Naruto would realize something was wrong and Itachi didn't want to explain what the note said quite yet. He watched as the blond rushed in with an excited grin on his face and he let a small smile cross his face, although he knew it was fake.

Luckily Naruto was too excited to notice and he stood up from the chair so he could stand next to the blond. He gently took the book from Naruto's hands, trying not to let his fingers linger too long and set the book on the table. He wrapped his arm around Naruto's waist and brought him closer to his body while he placed his hand on the black cover. His eyes closed for a brief moment before he pushed down on the book and the room vanished.

\--------

When Naruto felt his feet touch the ground, he blinked his eyes open and squinted at the bright room they had landed in. He felt Itachi loosen his grip and Itachi settled on the ground behind the hunched over figure.

"What do you wish to do Naruto?" Itachi asked carefully.

"Can you mess with the plot line?" Itachi nodded, "So, if I tried to use Light's notebook to kill L, what would happen?"

Itachi raised an eyebrow, "You could throw the whole story into chaos but it would eventually turn out with the same ending. The character's here are able to move about freely from what we read in the outside world. They have their own life outside of what we read. And why would you want to kill him?"

"I don't, I was just curious. I like L, besides; I want to try some of the sweets he's always eating." Naruto stated.

"Itachi, I know you're there, you can unmask your presence."

A smirk flickered across Itachi's face and he dropped the covering on them, "Nice to see that you haven't changed L."

The figure shuffled around, "The room always becomes colder when you arrive." His eyes darted to Naruto, "I see you brought company this time. This only proves my theory on the death gods; if people like you exist, then they should as well."

Naruto glanced at Itachi, "You helped him figure out things about the case?"

"It wasn't my intent, but yes."

"I thought that the authors made him this way."

Itachi crossed his legs, "How do the writers get the idea?"

"Imagination?"

"Go eat your sweets." He stated as a board game was placed in front of him.

"Sweet!" Naruto cried out and darted off to the side of the room.

Itachi's eyes watched him before moving back to the board and he didn't look up, despite the questioning look that he knew was being directed his way, "Don't ask, just make your move."

\---------

Two hours later, Itachi walked behind Naruto as the blond bounded along the walkway. Sugar, it seemed, was a bad mixture with Naruto's already upbeat personality and now he had energy to spare as he sprinted the rest of the way to a small park. The sun was setting behind Itachi, casting long shadows from his body and reminding Itachi that his time was slowly drawing to a close.

He settled down on a bench and watched as Naruto ran around like he was younger. A small smile flickered on his face, but it slowly faded as he leaned back against the bench and shoved his hands into his pockets. He knew that this alone couldn't convince Naruto to stay with him and his hand curled around the crumbled piece of paper in his jacket. It had been a miracle in itself that Naruto hadn't stormed off after his explanation.

After last night, he knew that any hope of convincing the blond to stay with him had vanished. He had been the cause of Naruto's pain and he couldn't even explain it to him, due to the laws set down by the council. Once Naruto had fallen asleep that night, he dropped into a bloody fight scene from one of his favorite books. He merely watched as the characters hacked away at each other and was tempted to join them, but his heart wasn't in it.

It had been hard enough to watch Naruto's happy expressions when he was with Temari, but he couldn't say or do anything. Instead, he could only wait for the dreaded day and hope for the best. Last night was not what he wanted. While the pleasure was unimaginable, the pain and hurt that had settled in him overrode the ending pleasure. He had wanted Naruto to come to him of his own will and under much better terms.

While the blond had accepted him when he came back, he knew that the truth would push him away. And even if he hadn't, one day wasn't enough to decide for an eternity. There was nothing he would have changed though, and he would have still picked the same path for the blond.

Knowing that he would still live, even if he didn't remember him was enough. He would be able to move on and accept the facts, as he done in the past, but it would never stop the hurt.

Itachi jumped when Naruto plopped down next to him. The blonds' cheeks were flushed and red from running around for so long and he panted lightly for breath. "You should come play with me, its fun. I haven't played on a playground in ages."

Itachi chuckled lightly and wrapped his arm around Naruto's shoulder, drawing the younger male closer to his body and he gently placed a kiss on his head. He was glad that the blond didn't flinch or jump away. "Just relax and watch the sunset. The sugar high should be leaving you soon."

Naruto slumped against his body and rested his head on the offered shoulder. The warmth from the other male made his head heavy and his eyelids started to drop. He felt Itachi thread his fingers through his own and he squeezed them gently in return. Above him, Itachi sighed softly and Naruto raised his head from the shoulder. "What's wrong?"

He shook his head, "Nothing. We need to be heading back."

Clear blue eyes searched Itachi's face for some sort of hint, but his face didn't reveal anything. It wasn't until the Uchiha wrapped his arm his waist that he realized his time was up, he would have to make a decision when they returned home. He could feel Itachi's tense body through the material of their clothing and he knew that Itachi knew this too.

The feelings were there, buried under a few layers of hurt and confusion; but it would take more than a day for them to grow and take root. But he didn't want Itachi to leave him or whatever punishment this council had in store for him. He wanted to stay with Itachi and make sure that he wasn't dependent on a bird for company; to tell him that it would be all right. To show him that the choices he made were a mistake.

"Itachi!" He cried out and turned around in Itachi's grip.

He noticed that Itachi was looking down at him with a concerned look in his eyes but he didn't think about anything as he threw his arms around the pale shoulders. His lips found Itachi's and he pressed against them vehemently. Itachi's arms hesitated before they wrapped around his body, pulling it closer and he shuddered in pleasure as Itachi responded to his actions. He flinched in surprise though as something wet pressed against his cheek.

And for the first time since he was a child, he couldn't stop the hot liquid that squeezed out of his eyes. They traveled down his cheeks and mixed in with Itachi's before forming a single drop and falling to the ground.

_'It isn't fair.'_

\--------

Somewhere in the middle of the kiss, Itachi had brought them back home and while he waited for the room to calm down, Itachi had brushed the tear tracks away. By the time he opened his eyes again, Itachi looked calm and composed once again, as if nothing had happened.

"The council will be here soon." Itachi said quietly while Naruto sat in the chair.

"What will happen?"

Itachi leaned against the piece of furniture, "Our jobs are secret for an obvious reason, and since you stumbled in here, you've accidently found what is supposed to stay hidden. Because of this, the council gave you two choices. Either they can erase your memories about me, everything you saw here and they will move you to a different location; or they can kill you. This knowledge for mortals is almost always punishable by death."

Naruto shook his head, "I don't want either of those Itachi."

Itachi reached out and pulled the blond closer, "I know, I don't want either of those options myself. If you choose the first one, I will never be able to see again in case my person raises hidden memories."

"I just want more time."

"This isn't about you."

They turned and Itachi released his grip and bowed stiffly. "Councilmen."

The hooded men nodded to him before speaking again, "You've messed up Uchiha Itachi. Not only did the mortal see you emerge from the book, you made him think it was a dream. The first alone is a harsh enough offense, but eradicating memories is punishable by dismal or demotion. We won't dismiss you, but we should demote you to a lower level guardian and erase the mortals' memory."

"No, you can't do that!" Naruto cried and would have moved if Itachi hadn't held him back. "I only saw him because he was…helping me after I was hurt. He saved my life and is a good friend, you can't punish him for that."

The hoods turned to him, "So you accept the terms of staying with Itachi for eternity then."

Naruto faltered, "I, I just want more time."

"Typical mortal. Only thinking of themselves and acting on greedy impulses. They always ask for more; more time, more money, more knowledge; they are never satisfied with what is given to them."

A chuckle sounded from the back of the group and a taller council member stepped forward. "Itachi had selfish reasons of his own though, he acted against the council in hopes that he could spare the mortal this fate and try again in the future. He also chose the path of life for the mortal, another greedy impulse. He should be punished as well." He turned to Itachi, "Let me see the mortal's book."

Itachi nodded and released his grip on Naruto. Once he vanished to the corner, the taller member walked closer to Naruto and grabbed his chin, forcing him to look deep into the darkened hood. Naruto squirmed under the glare and he wanted to open his mouth to call for Itachi, but the grip prevented him from doing so.

"Why do you wish for more time mortal?"

"Because it's not fair to Itachi. He saved me from death and I know that with time I could-"

The grip tightened, "And if you couldn't? You would only get Itachi's hopes up, only to trample them in the ground at the end. That wouldn't be fair to Itachi now, would it? You can't force the heart to fall in love, even with time. I'd hate to see him hurting for the rest of his immortal life. If I have my way way, I can erase both your memories of each other and no one would be hurt."

Naruto's eyes widened, "No! Please don't do that. I don't want to forget Itachi and I don't want him to leave." Tears threatened to spill from his eyes and they made the room swim in front of him.

The member seemed to get his answer and released his grip. He turned to Itachi as he returned with Naruto's book and he took it from Itachi's hands. Pale hands flipped through the pages of the book while eyes quickly skimmed the words that spread across the paper. When he reached the blank section, he snapped the book shut and set it down on the table.

"I'll grant you an extra month. Prove to me that you deserve this mortal."

He waved the other members away and they filed after him as he vanished from the room, leaving the two males alone in silence.

\-----  
 _Three years later_  
\-----

Naruto scanned the room with a critical eye before he set the heavy box down on the floor. It hadn't been his intent to move, but somehow he had wound up in the beautiful city of Barcelona in Spain. His new house was on the outskirts of the city but was only five minutes from the school he was going to start teaching at.

Most of the boxes had been unpacked already, thanks to his redheaded lover and he smiled at the picture that already hung on the wall. Too bad he hadn't been in the best of moods when the picture was taken, otherwise he might have looked even better with his small smirks.

He knelt down and began unpacking the books that were in the box. Naruto didn't know when he had suddenly started to pick up reading, considering he barely read with Temari and she loved to read. His hands brought an old book out of the box and he leaned in closer to examine it.

When was this put in here?

Naruto faintly remembered someone telling him to keep the book so he would never forget those who had moved on. He didn't remember packing it though and guessed that the redhead had placed it in the box last minute. The blond stood up and placed the paperback on the shelf with the rest of the books before moving back to the box once again.

Downstairs, he heard a muffled cry before the sound of boxes tumbling to the ground echoed up the steps. Perhaps he should go help the redhead, in case he started to destroy things. He shook his head, no, there was no way he would stoop that low and execute revenge on boxes.

Heavy steps sounded the arrival of his newly found redheaded lover and he snorted with laughter when he saw him.

"Come on Itachi, the hairs not that bad."

Itachi grunted, "Next time I see the council, I'm killing them."

"I'll be sure to remind them that their punishment was effective. But you know, with some black tipping and Goth makeup, you could look like a rock star!"

"Naruto…"

"I'm kidding." He leaned forward to place a kiss on Itachi's temple, "Where the boxes causing you trouble downstairs?"

"No, it was getting the thing into it." Itachi stated and pulled Naruto back against his body before bringing a box around. "Think of it as a house warming gift."

Naruto lifted the lid off the box and jumped when a red blur launched itself at him. It landed on his shoulder and began nuzzling his ear, making Naruto yell at the wet feeling. He pulled the red thing from his shoulder and stared into deep black eyes that emerged from the red fur. The tiny fox yelped at him and squirmed in his arms as he tried to get closer to the blond.

"Itachi…why does he have nine tails?" He asked and tipped his head backwards so he could see Itachi's face.

"His name is Kyuubi. I had to sneak him out of a book, but he came willingly, just like Nevermore."

The raven flew overhead and let out an caw at the fox. Tiny ears perked up at the bird and he leapt out of Naruto's arms.

Itachi and Naruto watched as the young fox tried to jump and bat at the bird circling lazily overhead. Each time, he failed considerably and Itachi wrapped his arms around Naruto's waist before resting his chin on the blond head.

"Maybe I should take him back now, before he gets any bigger and makes my life hell."

"No!" Naruto cried, "I like him."

"I thought so." Itachi said with a sigh.

The blond grinned and turned around, draping his arms over Itachi's shoulders, "You were right, it was worth it." He brought Itachi's head down and before their lips met, whispered, "I love you."

Itachi hummed his approval and he threaded his fingers through the blond hair while his other arm brought the lithe body closer to his own. His eyes flickered to the picture that was hanging on the wall of the morning after he awoke to his new hair color. The head council member had been kind enough to take a picture for him and Naruto had decided that he liked it. He would have to burn it later. His eyelids lowered and he submitted to the kiss.

A gentle breeze blew through the open window, making the pages of an open book turn. The fox paused in his activities to look at it before continuing again without a care in the world. A black cover with golden words was visible only through the underside of the glass table, but the two immortals knew what the title spelled out.

_'Uchiha Itachi and Uzumaki Naruto'_

And even though the half the book was blank, the very last page was filled out in black calligraphy;

_'And in the end, they were happy because they had had each other.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _'The Way of Shadows'_ is written by Brent Weeks and is the first book in the Night Angel trilogy. If you like assassins, magic, twisted romance, fighting, and have time for a long read, I would highly recommend it.


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